If you’re looking for really uncomfortable horror films, then Veronika Franz and Severin Fiala’s filmography should make you very happy. The two have staged two deeply disturbing psychological dramas with a strong horror twist in the past decade. Now the next prank follows.
After Ich seh, ich seh (2014) and The Lodge (2019), Franz and Fiala take you to dark Austria in the 18th century. Specifically, the action begins in 1750, a time when people should be familiar with the Enlightenment. And yet the fear of social and religious structures dominates in The Devil’s Bad.
New in the cinema: The horror-psychological drama The Devil’s Bad is based on true events that are deeply shocking
We see how far this fear goes in the first minutes of the film: a young woman murders a baby, only to then confess to the crime and have her head cut off. Why? Because before that she was in the confessional redemption for their sins can ask and therefore still go to heaven. But that’s not all.
You can watch the trailer for The Devil’s Bath here:
The Devil’s Bath – Trailer (German) HD
To understand the motivation behind the horrific act, we need to take a step back. Because the woman actually wanted to take her own life. Anyone who commits suicide but ends up straight in hellis the dogma of the church. Infanticide followed by confession and beheading thus functions as an alternative.
Historical sources serve as the basis for the latest nightmare, which Franz and Fiala capture on the screen in extremely uncomfortable images. There is actually a lot of peace and quiet in Des Teufels Bad. However, we cannot relax and hike through the forest. Any cracking of branches could mean a telltale sound.
Instead, we follow the religious Agnes (Anja Plaschg) as she receives one condemning look after another because she doesn’t give birth to a child. The mother-in-law becomes suspicious, as does the village community. But Wolf (David Scheid), Agnes’ husband, refuses to have sex with her, which of course no one knows.
The Devil’s Bath thrives on its oppressive atmosphere and Anja Plaschg’s really strong performance
The Devil’s Bad paints a precise and disturbing portrait of a society in which every figure, but especially women, has to fear for their status. Therefore, people direct contemptuous looks towards others. The horror arises from here Helplessness and despair. Nobody can escape fear.
At the Berlinale, where Des Teufels Bad premiered at the beginning of the year, cameraman Martin Gschlacht was awarded the Silver Bear for outstanding artistic achievement. His oppressive images carry the film – together with the stirring performance of leading actress Anja Plaschg (Soap & Skin), which allows us to understand Agnes’ shocking ordeal.
The devil’s bath has been running ever since November 14, 2024 in German cinemas. The next big stop is the Oscars: Franz and Fiala’s third directorial work was submitted as an Austrian candidate for Best International Film.